RE: Absolutely incorrect

Posted by Tony Lauck (A) on January 30, 2013 at 06:47:49

In Reply to: RE: Absolutely incorrect posted by ted_b on January 28, 2013 at 09:58:23:

The digital volume control in the ESS SABRE chip can sound very good. I think the tradeoff may be system dependent. People will have to listen in their system before reaching a valid conclusion about volume controls.

I run my Mytek directly into my Focal powered speakers and I have tried both the digital and analog volume control option for the Mytek. I prefer the digital, as it is cleaner than the analog volume control. There is no noise out my speakers at any setting of the volume control, even with my ear right up to the drivers. Typical attenuation for symphonic music at concert volumes has a volume setting of -17 dB. For some pure DSD live recordings that are mastered at low levels, the setting might get to -12 dB. Small scale music would be from -20 to -25 dB. This is after reducing the gain of the IV converter by -6 dB by putting in the four jumper resistors. (Note that doing so requires some additional burn in for best sound.)

It is possible that a passive preamplifier could sound better, but I am suspicious, as there will be interaction between the cabling and the input circuits of the amplifiers. I doubt that an active preamp could be as transparent as what I am getting. IMO a longer signal path equals more distortion. In some system environments this might not be the case. I am running balanced into the amplifiers.

Tony Lauck

"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - MichaelV8 16:14:01 01/23/13 (23)

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread. - orpheus 06:15:53 01/25/13 (2)

Yes, indeed! - Ric Schultz 12:24:21 01/25/13 (1)

Found better info, ES9018 operates at 48 bits internally. - orpheus 08:50:04 01/31/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - apesma 16:45:27 01/24/13 (0)

Thanks - MichaelV8 15:55:46 01/24/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - apesma 14:05:52 01/24/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - Pjay 05:23:02 01/24/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - ted_b 16:39:17 01/23/13 (15)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - Frank I 09:31:21 01/24/13 (7)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - Jazz Inmate 12:09:12 01/24/13 (6)

does "fixed volume" mean full volume - Ron D 05:36:26 01/28/13 (4)

apparently, yes NT - Jazz Inmate 09:35:33 01/28/13 (3)

RE: apparently, yes NT - Frank I 04:17:49 01/30/13 (2)

RE: apparently, yes NT - Jazz Inmate 08:33:49 01/30/13 (1)

RE: apparently, yes NT - Frank I 14:25:00 01/30/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - Frank I 12:04:01 01/26/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - MichaelV8 17:18:42 01/23/13 (6)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - ted_b 19:21:56 01/23/13 (4)

Absolutely incorrect - rlw 07:06:25 01/27/13 (2)

RE: Absolutely incorrect - ted_b 09:58:23 01/28/13 (1)

RE: Absolutely incorrect - Tony Lauck 06:47:49 01/30/13 (0)

RE: Oppo 105, You don't need a preamp? - MichaelV8 16:07:06 01/24/13 (0)

....only if your amps have volume controls, maybe ... - paragons 19:11:10 01/23/13 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Absolutely incorrect - Tony Lauck 06:47:49 01/30/13 (0)

RE: Absolutely incorrect

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